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Sogavare: Virus could already spread to provinces

Written by
Mavis Podokolo
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Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare. Photo supplied.

BY MAVIS N PODOKOLO 

THE outbreak of the deadly virus in Honiara means it could already be spread to the Provinces.

This was confirmed by Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare in his latest press conference this afternoon.

Sogavare said it is of serious concern that some passengers from the vessel that arrived on 10th January 2022, have already travelled to other provinces including Noro, and to Santa Catalina in Makira Ulawa province.

“These people could already spread the virus to these provinces. Our health team is following the trails of these people to test them while also focussing efforts to contain the outbreak in Honiara and Ontong Java, “he said.

Sogavare also stressed that the captain of the vessel has also disembarked after arrival and attended a funeral somewhere on Guadalcanal. 

48 new cases, more expected

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Honiara is the beating heart of the country's economy.

THE Country has recorded 48 new cases of covid-19 from 8am yesterday to 8am this morning.

Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare said this is the largest increase in the number of covid-19 cases recorded so far.

Those affected in the latest surge in numbers include staff and patients at the Emergency department of the National Referral Hospital.

47 of the recorded cases are linked to the MV Awka passenger that was announced yesterday, while health authorities are investigating the source of infection for the 48th case.

Prime Minister Sogavare explained that from the 48 recorded:

  • 28 cases are from a vessel that was exposed to passengers from Ongtong Java on another vessel and were returning to Ongtong Java.
  • 9 cases are family members of the one person from arrived from Ongtong Java on January 10th and was tested positive on Tuesday night.
  • 4 are staff of the Solomon Islands Maritime Authority and Island Enterprise Limited who had come in contact with the crew and a passenger from the vessel that arrived on January 10th.
  • 2 cases are recorded from the Lord Howe Settlement.
  • 1 from the Rove Police headquarters.
  • 9 cases from the Emergency Department of the National Referral Hospital, 3 staff and 6 patients

The Prime Minister also warned that some passengers of the vessel that arrived on January 10th have already travelled to other provinces including Noro and Santa-Catalina in Makira

“The Captain also disembarked after arriving and attended a funeral somewhere on Guadalcanal.

He said the latest cases and movements of passengers and crew of the vessel simply means these people could have already spread the virus.

He stressed the importance of people following covid-19 measures and urged those not vaccinated to do so in the earliest time.

The Prime Minister further warned that the number of infection is bound to increase.

NRH in emergency mode, only accepting, emergency, accidents and referrals.

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The National Referral Hospital (NRH) in Honiara

With the current COVID-19 community transmission in Honiara and ongoing response, the National Referral Hospital (NRH) is only accepting emergency, accidents and referral cases.

For all accidents and emergency cases that needs to be urgently brought to the hospital you can call St John Ambulance on the following numbers, 111, 911 or 7136000 or NRH emergency operation center on phone 21068.

There is also an option of bringing emergency cases to the hospital using private vehicles however this must be communicated first to the police on phone 27893 or 27895, to ensure smooth movement to the hospital.

All non- emergency cases and those not flu related must go to Kukum and Rove clinics in Honiara during this lockdown period for consultation and to receive treatment.

For all flu like illnesses, runny nose, coughing etc. do not move but call National Health Emergency Operation Centre (NHEOC) on toll free line 115 or 25256 so a health team can be dispatched to your location for assessment and further instructions and actions.

All deaths at the hospital are taken directly to the morgue and bodies will remain there until after the lockdown where families can come to collect their loved ones.

Deaths from home can be transported to the hospital however due to the lockdown, you are advised to liaise with the police for smooth movement to the morgue. Due to the morgue’s holding capacity of only 15 bodies, hospital is working on additional storage space.

Under the emergency mode, hospital is also limiting movements in and out of the hospital with gate securities strictly controlling the number of people entering the hospital and flow of caregivers of the sick admitted at the hospital.

NRH kindly advice families who have their loved ones admitted at the hospital to plan and schedule at least only one caregiver to provide care and assistance for the sick admitted at the hospital wards.

Anyone coming to the hospital, you are strongly advised to wear face masks and ensure all other COVID-19 – safe measures are practiced while at the hospital such as frequent hand washing with soap or hand sanitizer, coughing or sneezing into elbows and maintain social distancing of at least 2 meters to another person.

Public are strongly advised to share these information and adhere to the instructions outlined as much as possible to ensure that we continue to respond to the community transmission of COVID-19 and maintain health services as safe as possibly can be.

—MHMS

Shipping services suspended

Written by
Mavis Podokolo
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Point Cruz main wharf where passengers board ferries back to their islands.(ABC News: Evan Wasuka)

BY MAVIS N PODOKOLO

ALL shipping services to provinces are suspended temporarily, according to Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare.

“Shipping services to provinces are temporarily suspended until further notice,” Sogavare said.

He stressed that all ships from provinces to Honiara can still return.

“However, people from provinces are discouraged to travel to Honiara at this point,”Sogavare said.

Sogavare also stressed that all domestic flights to provinces be temporarily suspended until further notice.

“I ask for the understanding of all passengers from the provinces affected by these measures.

“However, as we do not know yet the extent of community transmission in Honiara, we cannot risk sending COVID-19 to provinces annoyingly,” he said.

Sogavare said overseas Cargo vessels, as well as fuel and gas tankers will continue to operate, as Solomon Islands depend on these vessels for survival.

“They do not pose high COVID-19 risk so they will continue to operate during the lock down period if necessary,” he said.

Sogavare said international flights are also on suspension, only humanitarian cargo flights to continue.

“All incoming passengers, all services from international flights will be suspended until further notice”.

“It is also safe for all international passengers to not enter the country at a time when all our resources are directed to managing the unfolding COVID-18 situation in the country,” he said.

Sogavare stressed that humanitarian cargo services will continue, other cargo services will be considered on a case by case basis.

Cooperation vital to determine state of covid transmission in Honiara.

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Honiara is the beating heart of the country's economy.

Cooperation and obedience to health advice is vital to determine the extent of covid-19 transmission in Honiara as Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare called on members of the public to see health officials if they have contact with people arriving from Ontong Java on January 10.

Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare yesterday called on passengers arriving onboard MV Akwa on January 10 from Ontong Java together with their immediate contacts to call the health emergency operations hot line on 115 and 25256 for medical assistance.

“I urge all passengers arriving on MV Akwa on 10 January to call phone numbers 115 and 25256 to inform our health team where you are to ensure they can determine the state of COVD-19 transmission in Honiara,” Sogavare said.

The latest case was a passenger arriving from Ontong Java onboard MV Akwa that arrived in Honiara on 10 January after departing Luaniua, Ontong Java on 9 January.

There were many other passengers that travelled on the vessel from Ontong Java who are living in different parts of Honiara.

The health team has been busy since Monday this week to identify and contact trace passengers that arrived in Honiara from Ontong Java.

There were also reports that some of the people that travelled on the vessel are not well. It is likely some more people that travelled on the vessel may test positive.

“The COVID-19 situation in Honiara is much more serious than in Ontong Java right now because we do not yet know the extent of the spread of the virus in the city,” Sogavare warned yesterday.

Based on contact tracing information, people that travelled on the vessel were identified in four general locations in Honiara including the Lord Howe settlement at Mataniko, at a house in Ranadi Marine school area, a house in Naha, and a house in Tasahe. In the last 24 hours, health authorities are working around the clock to identify the exact location of all the passengers that arrived in Honiara from Ontong Java and determine the geographical boundaries of the spread of COVID-19 infection in Honiara

Unvaccinated population most at risk to Covid-19

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Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare has warned that the country’s huge unvaccinated population is most at risk of catching covid-19 now that community transmission has hit the capital and Ontong Java this week.

Since vaccination was rolled out in the last 18 months, only 20% of the eligible population is fully vaccinated.

Most of the people in Honiara have decided not to take their vaccination despite continued request by authorities.

“All of you that have not been vaccinated are now the most vulnerable to contract COVID-19. Please be very careful and observe COVID-19 safe practices,” Sogavare warned yesterday when announcing the first case of community transmission from a passenger arriving from Ontong Java on 10 January.

Prime Minister Sogavare renewed his call for all adults in Honiara and all children between 12 years old and 18 years old to get their vaccines as soon as possible, warning that any delay will be catastrophic to their own lives.

The Ministry of Health will soon advise on locations for vaccination in addition to the current SIPA location in Honiara.

“Be prepared to see many people getting sick, some getting very sick and may even lose their lives,” Sogavare warned.

Health workers are actively undertaking contact tracing among the suspected population in the capital and urged people to observe the current lockdown and practice safe covid-29 measures at home or wherever they may be.

Geographical boundaries of COVID infection yet to be identified.

Written by
Mavis Podokolo
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THE geographical boundaries of the infection in Honiara is yet to be established according to the Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare.

“We have not yet established the full extent of the COVID-19 infection in Honiara, since this diagnosis.

 However, as the positive case lived in a household with other people, and as some other passengers that travelled on the vessel have been reported to be unwell, I am sad to inform you that we already have community transmission of COVID-19 in Honiara, “Sogavare said.

He said the most important priority at the moment  is they are now working on the exact locations as of yesterday.

“The most important priority in the next 24 to 48 hours is to (i) identify the exact location of all the passengers that arrived in Honiara from Ontong Java on 10th January 2021, and (ii) determine the geographical boundaries of spread of COVID-19 infection in Honiara.

“Once we determine these boundaries, we can focus on activities inside and outside of these boundaries,” Sogavare said.

Don’t throw the risk to us: Western PS

Written by
Ben Bilua
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WPG PDC Officials who attended the meeting yesterday

BY BEN BILUA
Gizo

PROVINCIAL Secretary of the Western Province is calling on the Oversight Committee and the national government not to throw risks to the Province.

Jeffrey Wickham made the comment in response to the Government’s proposal for international ships to do clearance at the Noro International Seaport.

Speaking to the media yesterday, Mr Wickham said the Noro International Seaport is not ready to do clearance due to lack of facilities and resources, especially when it comes to COVID-19 standard procedures.

“We have submitted our recommendations in October last year to better prepare Noro International Seaport for this type of situation but the government ignored our recommendations.

“Now the government through the oversight committee wants to force their way in to do what they want at Noro, this is not the right procedure. A right minded person can see the risk that not having proper setup will pose huge risks to people,” he said.

Island Sun Gizo sights eight (8) recommendations that the Western Provincial Disaster Operation Committee (PDOC) sent to the government after their meeting with stakeholders at Noro last year.

Recommendations are as follows;

1. A jetty must be ejected within or close to Noro Seaport for the swab team.

2. A prefabricated building must be built for swabbing and POE teams. The building must accommodate shower and toilets, changing room, briefing room, PPE storage room, Waste PPE area, decontamination area and must be fenced.

3. There is a need for a 15 seater van to transport the swab teams to holding sites or quarantine.

4. A 60hp and boat for swabbing team transport to ships and also transporting samples to Gizo Hospital.

5. A small incinerator to burn PPES and swabbing wastes at Noro.

6. Budget for the swab operation.

7. A one-ton pickup truck for waste management at quarantine site and swab team holding site

8.  Freezer to store samples at Noro.

According to Wickham none of the above recommendations were made available since his team submitted the document.

He said there is no way that ship clearance will go ahead at Noro unless the recommendations are met or made available.

“Western Province will stick to its plan for the safety of its people. We will not allow ship clearance to be done at Noro. Full stop! Wickham says.

Sogavare: Be prepared to see the worst of COVID-19.

Written by
Mavis Podokolo
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Prime Minister, Manasseh Sogavare

BY MAVIS N PODOKOLO

PRIME Minister Manasseh Sogavare has warned the country to be prepared for the worst of the deadly virus.

In his address yesterday, the Prime Minister said he can only pray that the community transmission will be contained and the country will overcome it.

“Be prepared to see many people getting sick, some getting very sick and many may even lose their lives.

May God almighty bless and protect us all during this challenging time for our nation”.

“May he protect our front liners that are putting their lives on the line once again to ensure all of us are safe, “Sogavare said.

He echoed the above statement in his special national address yesterday in Honiara.

NRH outpatient services closed

Written by
Mavis Podokolo
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The National Referral Hospital (NRH) in Honiara

BY MAVIS N PODOKOLO

ALL outpatient services at the National Referral Services are closed.

This was confirmed by the office of the Ministry of Health and Medical Services yesterday.

“All NRH Outpatient services will be closed except for emergency department which includes.

–          Shortness of breath

–          Chest pains

–          Severe headaches

–          Painful boils

–          Severe abdominal pain

–          High fever and injuries

Call National referral Hospital on phone 44073, or 21068, or 44000 for any queries, “the Ministry of Health said.

Ministry of health also mentioned that all Honiara City Council health clinics will provide health services except for Vura and Mbokonavera clinics.

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